Steps To Fix “Msvcr80.dll Is Missing” Errors

The “msvr80.dll is missing” errors are extremely common on many Windows PC’s and unfortunately, it’s an issue which even the most advanced computers cannot avoid. Fortunately, it’s very easy to fix by using a series of steps to cure the problems that cause it. Here’s what you need to do…

What Is The Msvr80.dll Error?

This error is caused by the msvr80.dll file either becoming missing, corrupted or damaged. This file is a part of the “Windos C Runtime Library” and basically helps your computer to process a variety of functions and processes that it finds essential to use.

When seeing this error, you typicall receive this message or warning on your PC:

This application has failed to start because MSVCR80.dll was not found. Re-installing the application might fix the problem.

In order to fix this error, there are several steps you can take to make sure that Windows can read the file it needs and then fix the issues that are potentially causing the errors.

How To Fix The Msvr80.dll Error

Step 1 – Reinstall Any Program Causing The Error

Many solutions online will simply tell you to download the current version of the msvr80.dll file and place it in the C:/Windows/System32 folder. This will not solve the error because it’s caused by your program not being able to recognize the file due to a lack of a “manifest” file. The easiest and most basic way to fix this error is to reinstall the program that’s causing it. This is done by first uninstalling the program by clicking on Start > Control Panel > Add / Remove Programs and then clicking “Uninstall” next to the program that’s causing the error. Then download the latest version of the program or use the installation CD to install a fresh copy of hte program which should resolve the error.

Step 2 – Copy The msvr80.dll File Into C:/Windows/System32

If reinstalling the affected program does not help, you should try moving the msvr80.dll file into the System32 folder of your PC. Not many people realize this, but the msvr80.dll file is actually present on every version of Windows, it’s just that most of the time it’s actually misplaced in the wrong folder where software cannot find it. To fix this, you should try this method:

1) Click Start and then Search

2) Type “msvr80.dll” in the search box

3) Search through your C:/ drive for the file

4) If the search finds the file, copy it (by pressing CTRL + C) and then paste it (CTRL + V) into C:/Windows/System32 folder

5) Restart your PC

This should fix the problem in many cases but you should be warned that it also has the tendency to cause a lot more errors as well. You should perform Step 2 with caution, but it can be undone so it’s not that much of a risk.

Step 3 – Clean Out The Registry

– Download This Registry Cleaner

A big tip for stopping the msvr80.dll error is to use a ‘registry cleaner’ to resolve all the paths to .dll files on your system. The registry is basically a big database which stores information about your computer and keeps details ranging from your latest emails, desktop wallpaper and even your stored passwords in there. The registry also has a list of all the DLL files on your computer, and is where the reference for msvr80.dll is located. Unfortunately, this list of references often becomes damaged and corrupted, leading your computer to be unable to find it. Using a registry cleaner will fix this error by scanning through your PC and fixing any of the damaged registry references that are in there: